Island



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. & R. W. GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC fiRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 399,519. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

Inuerziurs:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. & R. W. G-RINNELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 399,619. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

fig. 5.

fiHEEi y 1775-7111711? 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIQE.

FREDERICK GRINNELL AND RICHARD \Y. GRINNELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,519, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed lllerel: 29, 1887. Serial No. 232,874. tNo model.)

To aZZ- whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK GRIN- NELL and RICHARD W. GRINNELL, of Providence, Providence county, Rhode Islan d, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

In the protection of a building from fire by an automatic lire-extinguishing apparatus there are sometimes locations where it becomes necessary to protect the sensitive parts of the sprinklers or extinguishers from the corrosive action of acid fumes and the like. It has been found, for instance, that in chemical works, bleacherics, &c., the parts of the sprinkler that are designed to operate upon the occurrence of a tire were so corroded as to render doubtful their prompt and efficient action. In such locations it. is only a matter of time for the fusible solder and the other sensitive parts of the sprinkler to be so far consumed as to fall apart and release the water, thereby giving rise to considerable unnecessary trouble and damage.

This invention consists in surrounding the operative parts of such sprinklers with a glass or other non-corrodible globe or casing, sealed in place by a fusible non-corrodible sealing material which will melt or soften when a certain degree of heat is attained and allow the globe to fall away from the sprinkteraird permit the-latter to operate.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a sprinkler and globe, part of the latter being shown as broken away to show the sealing-joint. Fig. 2 is a view of the sprinkler freed from the globe, the parts of the globe being shown as they are falling away. der side view, of the globe shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing a paper cap or globe, and Fig. 6 is a similar view showing another method of sealing. Fig. 7 shows the paper cap separated from the sprinkler.

The invention is shown as applied to a Fig. 3 is a section, and Fig. 4- an uni ment.

Grinnell sprinkler, though it would not be less useful in connection with other sprinkthe joint between the two halves of the cap.

lers.

The sprinkler consists of a water-check, 1, held in place by levers 2 and 3, the latter being locked at 4 by a soldered joint that will give way when the temperature reaches a predetermined point. The invention, however, relates to the cap or globe 5, which maybe made of glass, wood, paper, rubber, or any suitable substance that will withstand the action of corrosive gases, and it may be formed in halves, as shown, or in any number of parts, so that it will readily fall away from the sprinkler upon the fusion of the sealing material which holds it together and to the sprinkler.

In the case illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 we have shown a glass or other vitreous globe 0r cap made in two parts, held together by sealing material, 8, which isrun in between flanges or ribs 10, cast upon the edges of the two halves. At the base of the globe the ribs may diverge around. a central stud, as shown in Fig. st, so as to form a more secure joint. The globe is made in parts, so that it; will readily fall away from the sprinkler and allow the hot air to have access to the soldered joint. The advantage of this feature becomes more apparent when it becomes necessary to place the sprinklers upright above the waterpipe, as is sometimes the case.

To facilitate the attachment of the globe to the sprinkler the latter is provided with a collar, 6, aroundits neck, the globe being placed around the collar and sealed thereto by the fusible material 8. The upper part of the glass globe may be bulged, as shown, so as to enable the sealing material to hold it more securely.

In Figs. 5, ti, and 7 we have shown a paper cap and two modes of sealing it to the sprinkler. Such a paper cap would in certain places be more desirable than a glass one, on account of its greater flexibility and consequent freedom from danger of breakage. It would also have the advantages of lightness and combustibility. A further advantage is found in its adaptability to any irregularities in the form of the sprinkler at the point of attach- The parts of the paper cap may be sealed together by paper strip '7, fastened by means of the fusible sealing material over In Figs. 5 and '7 a metallic strip or ring, 9, is shown as fastened permanently to the paper, and this strip, by being soldered to the edges of the collar 6, may serve to hold the globe or cap in position, In this case, however, fusible material 8 should be run in over the soldered joint, so as to prevent the corrosion of the same. This soldered joint isin dependent of and performs a different function from that at t, it having nothing to do with holding the water.

In Fig. (i the paper cap is shown as held in place by means of the sealing material 8 alone, the cap being placed in position around the collar (3 and the sealing material run into the annular space betwemi the collar and the upper edge of the cap. in this figure the section is shown through the joint between the two halves of the cap.

The sealing material 8, with which the parts of the globe or cap are held together, and with which the cap itself is held to the sprinkler, should be fusible at or below the temperature at which the sea'lingjoint at t will melt. It should also be non-corrodible, such substances as paraffine, pitch, and the like, being suitablefor the purpose.

The sealing material seals the globe hermetically, and as both the globe and sealing material are non-corrosive it is evident that the joint that holds the water in check, as well as the other sensitive parts of the sprinkler, are perfectly protected from the action of corrosive gases. Upon the occurrence of a tire in the vicinity of the sprinkler the heat will cause the sealing material to melt, so that the cap may fall away before the joint at 4 fuses.

\Ve are aware that metal caps have been used with sprinklers; but such caps were not non-corrodible, and therefore do not come within the scope of our present invention. Such caps form no protection to the fusible solder that holds the water in check, and they were not designed so to do. \Ve are also aware that glass has been used to hold the water in check; but such glass was not used as a noncorrodible casin g to the sensitive parts of the sprinkler.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is- 1. The combination, with an automatic fireextinguisher having metallic parts for holding the water in check and releasing the same upon the occurrence of a fire, of a globe made of non-corrodible material secured hermetically to the extinguisher and in closin the said parts, so as to protect the same from the action of corrosive gases, substantially as d escribed. I

2. The combination, with an automatic fireextinguisher having metallic parts for holding the water in check and releasing the same upon the occurrence of a fire, and having also a base adapted to fit a coveringglobe, of a non-corrodible globe fitted air-tight to such base and inclosing the said parts, so as to protect them from the action of corrosive gases, substantially as described.

The combination, with an automaticfircextinguisher, having metallic parts for holding the water in check and releasin the same upon the occurrence of a fire, of a non-corrodible cap or globe iuclosing such parts and hermetically sealed with non-corrodible seal in g material.

4. The combination of an automatic fire extinguisher, having metallic parts for holding the water in check and releasing the same upon the occurrence of a tire, with a protect ing cap or globe inclosing the said parts and a mni-corrodible scaling material closing the joint between the cap and the extinguisher, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with an automatic fireextinguisher having metallic parts for bolding the water in check and releasing the same upon the occurrence of a fire, of a non-corrodible cap or globe inclosin such parts and hermetically sealed with a non-corrodible sealing material that will melt or soften at or below the operative temperature of the extinguisher.

6. The combination of an automatic fireextinguisher with a protecting cap or globe therefor made in parts and sealed together with a fusible and non-corrodible sealing material.

7 The combination of an automatic fire-en tinguisher with a non-corrodible cap adapted to cover the same, made in parts and sealed together with a fusible non-eorrodible sealing material.

8. The combination, with an automatic fireextinguisher, of a fibrous composition cap surrounding the same, substantially as set forth.

The combination of an automatic fireextinguisher with a paper cap therefor, a metallic attachment secured to the cap where it will abut on part of the extinguisher, and a soldered connection between the attachment and the extinguisher.

10. The combination of the automatic fireextinguisher with the paper cap, the metallic attachment secured to the cap, the soldered connection bet-ween the said attachment and the extinguisher, and a covering of non-corrodible material over the soldered connection.

FREDERICK GRINNELL. RICHARD \V. GRINNELL.

\Vitnesses:

\VALTER l'I'. KNIGH'I, EDWIN 1. ALLEN. 

